Method of making elastic knitted fabrics.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

W. BUTTGER, JR. METHOD OF MAKING ELASTIC KNITTBD'FABRIGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1905.

IHWEN-I-B \A/lTNEEEJEE & M m;

NITED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT .OFrIcE.

THIRDS TO ALBERT LEHRIOH,

OF BERLIN, GERMANY, AND WIL- LIAM DOBERMANN, OF SOHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF MAKING ELASTIC KNITTED FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,997, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed January 5, 1905. Serial No. 239,747.

To all w/wm it Wtay concern.-

Be itknown that I, WILHELM Bo'rTGER, J r., a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Apolda, Grand Duchy of SaXe-Weimar-Eisenach, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Elastic Knitted Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel procedure hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, and the reference characters marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

The single figure of the drawing is a diagrammatic view of a piece of elastic knitted fabric made by my improved method.

The fabric to the manufacture of which this invention relates is an elastic knitted fabric, the fabric loops of which are severally formed of an elastic thread and an inelastic thread, and no claim is made herein to said fabric, as the same is made the subject of another application, filed June 4, 1902, Serial No. 110,246.

The principal object of my invention is to produce such a fabric having a high degree of elasticity in connection with other qualities rendering the same desirable for surgical and other uses.

In carrying out my invention I preferably employ for the formation of an elastic fabric a thread 6, consisting wholly of fibrous material, and a thread 8, comprising a core 4 of elastic material and a fibrous covering therefor formed of a fibrous thread 5, which is wound around said core. The two threads 6 and 8 are maintained side by side or parallel, in which position they are incorporated into fabric by interweaving in a known manner, as by a series of interlocked loops in the wellknown manner of knitting fabrics, as is well understood in the art. Any known fibrous material suitable for knitting may be employed for the wholly fibrous thread as well as for the fibrous covering for the elastic core of the elastic thread, which core is preferably made of rubber. I prefer silk for the fibrous material. The elastic thread may or may not be a covered thread, as desired.

In knitting fabric by my improved method I practically relieve the elastic thread of tension and subject the fibrous thread to comparatively strong tension. The reaction of the fibrous thread serves to impart to the fabric core firmness, while at the same time the looped construction permits the .fabric to be expanded both longitudinally and transversely. The knitting may be performed by hand or by any of the known knitting mechanisms, and the difference in tension upon the elastic and inelastic threads may be produced in any known manner, either by hand or by the use of suitable tension devices well knownin the art, it only being necessary in carrying out my invention that the elastic thread be maintained practically free from tension and the inelastic thread under comparatively high tension during the formation of the loops or meshes therefrom.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The method of making elastic fabric which consists in forming a meshed or looped fabric by knitting together parallel threads, one elastic and the other inelastic while maintaining the elastic thread practically free from tension and the inelastic thread under comparatively high tension during the formation of the loops or meshes therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of December, 1904.

WILHELM BOTTGER, JUN.

Witnesses:

PAUL TEIOHMANN, AUG. Bo'r'renn. 

